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Samael
Samael is a Swiss heavy metal band formed in 1987 in Sion, Switzerland. Biography Although much of their music from the mid-1990s onwards has incorporated electronic sounds which would best define their genre as industrial metal, they are an early black metal band and an innovator for post-black metal styles. Samael released their first album Worship Him in 1991 on French record label Osmose Productions; the following year they signed a multi-records deal with Century Media Records and released their second album Blood Ritual. In early 1994, their 3rd album Ceremony of Opposites was on the market. Their music was now oriented toward industrial-sounds with addition of keyboards and use of samples. Their album Passage (1996) saw them gather a larger audience, with the music video for the song "Jupiterian Vibe" getting airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball. A second edition was later released with a bonus disk, done solely by keyboardist Xy and titled "Xytras", containing 10 entirely instrumental remixes featuring classical piano. After the release of Eternal - recorded and mixed in Mountain studio by David Richard (1999), Samael would not renew their contract with Century Media. In 2004, Reign of Light was released through the band's own imprint Galactical Records. Two singles were taken from that album, "Telepath" - from which a video clip was shot and "On Earth" - including a cover of Depeche Mode's "I Feel You". In 2006, the electronica project Era One (featuring Vorph and Xy) was released on Century Media Records. It includes a bonus disc, "Lesson in Magic No. 1", which again is entirely instrumental and done by keyboardist Xy. The album itself was recorded in 2001, and the bonus disc a year later. Both were rearranged and remixed in 2005. In June 2007, they released the album Solar Soul, with songs as "Solar Soul", "Slavocracy" or "AVE!" It summed up and combined many of the styles of their previous albums since Passage. On March 6, 2009, Samael released Above, a full-length album described as a tribute to Samael's roots. In June 2010, Samael began recording demos for the next album. The album's first single, titled Antigod was released on November 19, 2010. The album, titled Lux Mundi (which translates as "Light of the World"), was released April 29, 2011 in Europe and May 3, 2011 in North America. The same month they shot a video clip for the song "Luxferre" in Sweden with director Patric Ulaeus. Personnel Members ;Current members * Vorphalack (Vorph) - Vocals, guitar (since 1987) * Xytras/Xytraguptor (Xy) - Live and programmed drums, keyboards, samples (since 1988) * Masmiseim (Mas) - Bass (since 1991) * Makro (Mak) - Guitar (since 2002) Vorph and Xy are brothers. In earlier original album credits Xy was to as "Xytras", not "Xytraguptor". On the band's official about page, they give mixed references using all 3 monikers, Xy, Xytras, and Xytraguptor. ;Former members *Pat Charvet — Drums (1987–1988) *Rodolphe H. — Keyboards & Samples (1993-1996) *Kaos (Frédéric Minuti) — Guitar (1996-2002) Discography Albums *''Worship Him'' (1991) *''Blood Ritual'' (1992) *''Ceremony of Opposites'' (1994) *''Passage'' (1996) *''Eternal'' (1999) *''Reign of Light'' (2004) *''Solar Soul'' (2007) *''Above'' (2009) *''Lux Mundi'' (2011) Other releases *''Medieval Prophecy (7" EP 1988)'' *''1987 - 1992'' (Compilation, 1995) *''Rebellion'' (MCD, 1995) *''Exodus'' (MCD, 1998) *''Black Trip'' (DVD, 2003) *''Telepath'' (Single, 2004) *''On Earth'' (Single, 2004) *''Era One'' (2006) (project featuring Vorph and Xy) *''Aeonics — An Anthology'' (Compilation, 2007) *''Valkyries New Ride'' (Single, 2007) *''Illumination'' (Single, 2009) *Xytras released a neo-classical remix of Passage and Exodus in 1998. It was distributed as a bonus disc on the american edition of Passage. *''Antigod'' (EP, 2010) References External links * Official Website * Facebook page * Samael on MySpace Category:Swiss bands Category:Swiss black metal bands Category:Swiss industrial metal bands Category:Black metal bands Category:Industrial metal bands